Another major late winter storm affected the state of Kentucky from late in the day on Tuesday March 3rd through the morning of Thursday March 5th, 2015. The storm began as rain overspread east Kentucky from late Tuesday March 3rd into the day of Wednesday March 4th, falling heavily at times.
Every event with a place to put it; 33 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS JKL wrote it up.
Another major late winter storm affected the state of Kentucky from late in the day on Tuesday March 3rd through the morning of Thursday March 5th, 2015.
The storm began as rain overspread east Kentucky from late Tuesday March 3rd into the day of Wednesday March 4th, falling heavily at times. The rain, coupled with a melting high elevation snow pack containing considerable water content, caused extensive runoff and produced widespread flooding of small creeks and streams and poor draining areas during the day on Wednesday. Some of the hardest hit areas on Wednesday were in Harlan and Bell Counties, where runoff quickly pushed the creeks and streams there over their banks.
The flooding then progressed into our rivers resulting in some of the worst river flooding in over a decade. In fact, on the Big Sandy, several locations experienced the highest water since 1984. The most noteworthy crest occurred on the Cumberland River at Pineville, which based on preliminary information recorded the 3rd highest crest on record.
As area rivers where rising, the precipitation changed to sleet and then snow Wednesday night. An especially heavy band of snow set up from western Kentucky northeastward through central Kentucky into northeast Kentucky. By midday Thursday, over a foot of snow had fallen in this band mainly along and north of I-64 in east Kentucky. The snowfall amounts dropped significantly to the south with generally 2 to 4 along with up to a half inch of sleet having fallen near the Tennessee border. The snow diminished during the midday hours on Thursday.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Jackson, KY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 4, 7:57 AM EST, 2 hours 3 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 757 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 757 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 JUST SENT OUT A QUICK UPDATE TO THE FORECAST TO REMOVE FOG FROM THE TODAY PERIOD OF THE ZONES. ALSO FRESHENED UP THE GRIDS WITH THE LATEST HOURLY OBS DATA. ASIDE FROM THOSE TWO THINGS...THE FORECAST IS LOOKING PRETTY GOOD SO FAR THIS MORNING. && .SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH THURSDAY) ISSUED AT 335 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 THE FIRST 36 HOURS OF THE FORECAST CONTINUE TO DEPICT A VERY ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN WITH MODERATE TO HEAVY ON TAP FOR TODAY...WITH THE FLOODING LIKELY ACROSS THE AREA. ALSO STILL ON TRACK IS OUR WINTER STORM...WHICH IS STILL ON TRACK TO BEGIN AFFECTING THE WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE AREA LATE THIS AFTERNOON WITH A NASTY MIX OF RAIN...FREEZING RAIN...SLEET AND SNOW. ALL OF EASTERN KENTUCKY BE EXPERIENCING SOME FORM OF WINTRY PRECIPITATION BY 8Z THURSDAY. BASED ON THE EXPECTED EVOLUTION OF THE AREA OF WINTRY PRECIP AS IT MOVES EAST TONIGHT AND EARLY TOMORROW...OUR FAR EASTERN AND SOUTHERN COUNTIES COULD SEE LIGHT ICE ACCUMULATIONS FROM FREEZING RAIN. THE MODELS WERE STILL IN A BIT DISAGREEMENT AS TO HOW STRONG THE WARM NOSE WILL BE WITH THIS EVENT...BUT ENOUGH EVIDENCE EXISTS TO SUPPORT THE SLIGHTLY INCREASED ICE TOTALS FOR OUR SOUTH AND EAST. ALSO INCREASED SNOW TOTALS SLIGHTLY TOWARD THE END OF THE EVENT FOR MOST OF OUR COUNTIES...AS THE LATEST MODEL TIME HEIGHTS AND SOUNDINGS...THIS INCLUDES THE NAM12...GFS...AND ECMWF SOLUTIONS...ALL STRONGLY SUGGESTING THAT THE SNOW WILL LAST A FEW HOURS LONGER ON THURSDAY THAN ORIGINALLY FORECAST. THAT BEING SAID...OUR EASTERN AND SOUTHERN COUNTIES MAY SEE ABOUT AN INCH MORE OF SNOW THAN ORIGINALLY THOUGHT. OVERALL THE WINTER STORM WARNING PRODUCT WILL NOT CHANGE DRAMATICALLY WITH THE 4 PM FORECAST PACKAGE ISSUANCE...BUT IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT OVERALL STORM TOTAL SNOW AND ICE AMOUNTS WILL BE SLIGHTLY HIGHER ACROSS THE BOARD. SEE THE UPDATED WINTER STORM WARNING PRODUCT FOR FORECAST SNOW AND ICE AMOUNTS. TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE TO BE QUITE WARM AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT EARLY THIS MORNING...WITH VALUES RANGING FROM THE UPPER 50S TO LOWER 60S FROM PIKE COUNTY SOUTHWESTWARD TO WAYNE COUNTY. IN FACT...AS OF THE WRITING OF THIS AFD...MONTICELLO WAS REPORTING A TEMPERATURE OF 62...LONDON 62...AND THE WHITESBURG MESONET SITE REPORTING 62 DEGREES. THESE TEMPERATURES WILL BEGIN TO FALL STEADILY ONCE THE FRONT PASSES THROUGH LATER THIS MORNING. THE COLD AIR BEHIND THE FRONT WILL BE A BIT SLOW TO INVADE THE AREA...WITH A LARGE PORTION OF EASTERN KENTUCKY SEEING WELL ABOVE FREEZING TEMPERATURES FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE DAY. IT LOOKS AT THIS POINT LIKE IT WILL TAKE UNTIL MIDNIGHT OR 1 AM FOR ALL OF EASTERN KENTUCKY TO BE BELOW FREEZING. OUR NORTHWEST COUNTIES WILL BE COLDEST LONGEST...AND WILL THEREFORE SEE THE MOST SNOW FROM THE UPCOMING WINTER STORMS. OUR CENTRAL COUNTIES WILL SEE A GOOD DEAL OF SNOW AS WELL...BUT NOT QUITE AS MUCH AS OUR FAR NORTHEAST...WITH THE FAR EAST PICKING LESS SNOW AND A BIT MORE SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN. THE COLD AIR WITH THIS SYSTEM WILL BEGIN TO BECOME FIRMLY ENTRENCHED WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY MORNING. LOWS ON THURSDAY SHOULD HAVE NO TROUBLE DROPPING INTO THE MID TO UPPERS FOR THE NORTHWESTERN HALF OF THE AREA. LOCATIONS EAST AND SOUTHEAST OF A LINE FROM PAINTSVILLE TO NORTHERN PERRY COUNTY TO LONDON TO EASTERN WAYNE COUNTY WILL BE SLIGHTLY LESS COLD...WITH LOWS ON THURSDAY IN THE 20S EXPECTED. .LONG TERM...(THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 520 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 THE PERIOD WILL BEGIN WITH AN UPPER RIDGE IN THE WESTERN CONUS AND A TROUGH EXTENDING FROM EASTERN CANADA SOUTH INTO THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN CONUS. THE STORM SYSTEM THAT WILL AFFECT THE REGION IN THE NEAR TERM WILL BE DEPARTING EARLY WITH SFC HIGH PRESSURE FROM THE LOWER GREAT LAKES REGION TO THE SOUTHERN PLAINS BUILDING IN. AS THE EXTENDED PERIOD PROGRESSES...THE TROUGH ACROSS EASTERN CANADA AND THE CONUS WILL BECOME MORE BROAD IN NATURE WITH THE MAIN BAND OF WESTERLIES RETREATING NORTH CLOSER TO THE US/CANADIAN BORDER. AT THE SFC...HIGH PRESSURE WILL GENERALLY DOMINATE. THIS PATTERN SHOULD LEAD TO A GRADUAL MODERATION IN TEMPERATURES TO ABOVE NORMAL LEVELS FROM THE WEEKEND THROUGH THE FIRST HALF OF NEXT WEEK. THE MAIN CONCERN IS EARLY IN THE PERIOD IS THE WELL BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES OF 20 OR MORE DEGREES BELOW AVERAGE. THERE IS A BIT OF UNCERTAINTY AS TO WHEN CLEARING OCCURS ON THURSDAY NIGHT...BUT GUIDANCE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE NAM POINTS TOWARD THE COMBINATION OF HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING INTO THE REGION AND SEVERAL FRESH INCHES OF SNOW PACK LEADING TO WIDESPREAD LOW TEMPS FRI MORNING IN THE 5 BELOW ZERO TO 5 ABOVE ZERO RANGE. CLEARING SHOULD OCCUR FIRST ACROSS THE NORTH AND THAT AREA SHOULD ALSO HAVE THE MOST SNOW ON THE GROUND...AND THUS SHOULD BE COLDEST ON FRIDAY MORNING. HIGHS ON FRIDAY SHOULD REACH THE UPPER 20S TO LOWER 30S. THE VALLEYS WILL HAVE ANOTHER COLD MORNING ON SAT AS SFC HIGH PRESSURE BEGINS TO DEPARTS WITH A RIDGE/VALLEY SPLIT EXPECTED. SOME SINGLE DIGIT ABOVE ZERO READINGS WOULD AGAIN BE POSSIBLE. THEN...THE MODERATION BEGINS...WITH UPPER 30S TO LOWER 40S ON SATURDAY FOR HIGHS...WHICH ARE STILL ABOUT 10 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL. FURTHER MODERATION INTO THE 40S FOR ALL AREAS IS EXPECTED ON SUNDAY. NEAR NORMAL TEMPERATURES SHOULD FOLLOW FOR MONDAY HIGHS...WITH ABOVE NORMAL HIGH TEMPERATURES BY TUESDAY. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z THURSDAY MORNING) ISSUED AT 635 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN WILL BE THE FORECAST CONCERN THROUGHOUT MOST OF THE DAY AT THE TAF SITES. THE RAIN WILL CREATE MVFR TO IFR CONDITIONS DEPENDING ON THE INTENSITY OF THE RAIN AND HOW MUCH FOG IS ABLE TO FORM. THE BIGGEST CONCERN FOR AVIATION INTERESTS WILL COME FROM LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY THURSDAY MORNING...AS A MIX OF WINTRY PRECIPITATION AND SNOW MOVES ACROSS THE AREA. FREEZING RAIN AND SLEET WILL BEGIN TO AFFECT SYM AROUND 23Z THIS EVENING...AND AROUND 2Z AT JKL...LOZ...SME...AND SJS. THE TAF SITES SHOULD HAVE ALL CHANGED OVER TO SNOW BY 8Z...WITH SYM SEEING THE SNOW AROUND 5Z. FREEZING RAIN ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED TO BE LIGHT...BUT COULD STILL LEAD TO ICING ISSUES. THE SNOW WILL FALL HEAVY AT TIMES AND WILL REDUCE VSBYS TO IFR OR EVEN LIFR LEVELS AT THE AIRPORTS...PARTICULARLY BETWEEN 5 AND 12Z. && .JKL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING FOR KYZ044-050>052-058>060- 068-069-079-080-083>088-104-106>120. WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 1 PM EST THURSDAY FOR KYZ044-050>052. WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 1 PM EST THURSDAY FOR KYZ058>060-104-106-108-111. WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 1 PM EST THURSDAY FOR KYZ068-069-079-080-083>086-107-109-110-112>117-119-120. WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 1 PM EST THURSDAY FOR KYZ087-088-118. && UPDATE...AR SHORT TERM...AR LONG TERM...JP AVIATION...AR
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 432 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 KYZ058>060-104-106-108-111-051245- ESTILL-POWELL-MENIFEE-ELLIOTT-MORGAN-WOLFE-LEE- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...IRVINE...RAVENNA...CLAY CITY... STANTON...FRENCHBURG...SANDY HOOK...WEST LIBERTY...CAMPTON... BEATTYVILLE 432 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 ...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING... ...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 1 PM EST THURSDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. A MAJOR WINTER STORM WILL AFFECT THE REGION. MODERATE TO HEAVY RAINS DURING THE DAY COULD CAUSE SOME FLOODING THREATS TODAY AND TONIGHT. HEAVY WINTRY PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED FROM LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TONIGHT. PLEASE REFER TO THE WINTER STORM WARNING PRODUCT AS WELL AS THE FLOOD WATCH AND WARNING PRODUCTS FOR FURTHER DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. SNOW FROM A MAJOR WINTER STORM WILL WIND DOWN ON THURSDAY. THE SNOW WILL CREATE TREACHEROUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS. AVOID UNNECESSARY TRAVEL IF POSSIBLE. IT MAY ALSO LEAD TO DOWNED TREES AND BRANCHES...WITH SOME POWER OUTAGES POSSIBLE. PLEASE REFER TO THE WINTER STORM WARNING PRODUCTS FOR FURTHER DETAILS. HIGH WATER WILL LINGER THROUGH AT LEAST FRIDAY ON AREA RIVERS. PLEASE REFER TO FLOOD WARNING PRODUCTS FOR FURTHER DETAILS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT RAIN AND SNOW TOTALS THROUGH THURSDAY. KYZ068-069-079-080-083>086-107-109-110-112>117-119-120-051245- ROCKCASTLE-JACKSON-PULASKI-LAUREL-WAYNE-MCCREARY-WHITLEY-KNOX- JOHNSON-MAGOFFIN-FLOYD-BREATHITT-KNOTT-OWSLEY-PERRY-CLAY-LESLIE- MARTIN-PIKE- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...BRODHEAD...MOUNT VERNON...MCKEE... ANNVILLE...BURNSIDE...SOMERSET...LONDON...MONTICELLO...STEARNS... WHITLEY CITY...CORBIN...WILLIAMSBURG...BARBOURVILLE... PAINTSVILLE...SALYERSVILLE...PRESTONSBURG...WHEELWRIGHT... JACKSON...HINDMAN...PIPPA PASSES...BOONEVILLE...HAZARD... MANCHESTER...HYDEN...INEZ...COAL RUN...ELKHORN CITY...PIKEVILLE... SOUTH WILLIAMSON 432 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 ...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING... ...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 1 PM EST THURSDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. A MAJOR WINTER STORM WILL AFFECT THE REGION. MODERATE TO HEAVY RAINS DURING THE DAY COULD CAUSE SOME FLOODING THREATS TODAY AND TONIGHT. HEAVY WINTRY PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH TONIGHT. PLEASE REFER TO THE WINTER STORM WARNING PRODUCT AS WELL AS THE FLOOD WATCH AND WARNING PRODUCTS FOR FURTHER DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. SNOW FROM A MAJOR WINTER STORM WILL WIND DOWN BY THURSDAY EVENING. THE SNOW WILL CREATE TREACHEROUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS. AVOID UNNECESSARY TRAVEL IF POSSIBLE. IT MAY ALSO LEAD TO DOWNED TREES AND BRANCHES...WITH SOME POWER OUTAGES POSSIBLE. PLEASE REFER TO THE WINTER STORM WARNING PRODUCTS FOR FURTHER DETAILS. HIGH WATER WILL LINGER THROUGH AT LEAST FRIDAY ON AREA RIVERS. PLEASE REFER TO FLOOD WARNING PRODUCTS FOR FURTHER DETAILS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT RAIN AND SNOW TOTALS THROUGH THURSDAY. KYZ044-050>052-051245- FLEMING-MONTGOMERY-BATH-ROWAN- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...FLEMINGSBURG...CAMARGO... JEFFERSONVILLE...MOUNT STERLING...OWINGSVILLE...MOREHEAD 432 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 ...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING... ...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 1 PM EST THURSDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. A MAJOR WINTER STORM WILL AFFECT THE REGION. MODERATE TO HEAVY RAINS DURING THE DAY COULD CAUSE SOME FLOODING THREATS TODAY AND TONIGHT. HEAVY WINTRY PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED FROM THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TONIGHT. PLEASE REFER TO THE WINTER STORM WARNING PRODUCT AS WELL AS THE FLOOD WATCH AND WARNING PRODUCTS FOR FURTHER DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. SNOW FROM A MAJOR WINTER STORM WILL WIND DOWN ON THURSDAY. THE SNOW WILL CREATE TREACHEROUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS. AVOID UNNECESSARY TRAVEL IF POSSIBLE. IT MAY ALSO LEAD TO DOWNED TREES AND BRANCHES...WITH SOME POWER OUTAGES POSSIBLE. PLEASE REFER TO THE WINTER STORM WARNING PRODUCTS FOR FURTHER DETAILS. HIGH WATER WILL LINGER THROUGH AT LEAST FRIDAY ON AREA RIVERS. PLEASE REFER TO FLOOD WARNING PRODUCTS FOR FURTHER DETAILS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT RAIN AND SNOW TOTALS THROUGH THURSDAY. KYZ087-088-118-051245- BELL-HARLAN-LETCHER- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MIDDLESBORO...PINEVILLE...CUMBERLAND... HARLAN...JENKINS...WHITESBURG 432 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 ...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING... ...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 1 PM EST THURSDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. A MAJOR WINTER STORM WILL AFFECT THE REGION. MODERATE TO HEAVY RAINS DURING THE DAY COULD CAUSE SOME FLOODING THREATS TODAY AND TONIGHT. WINTRY PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED FROM LATE THIS EVENING THROUGH TONIGHT. PLEASE REFER TO THE WINTER STORM WARNING PRODUCT AS WELL AS THE FLOOD WATCH AND WARNING PRODUCTS FOR FURTHER DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. SNOW FROM A MAJOR WINTER STORM WILL WIND DOWN BY THURSDAY EVENING. THE SNOW WILL CREATE TREACHEROUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS. AVOID UNNECESSARY TRAVEL IF POSSIBLE. IT MAY ALSO LEAD TO DOWNED TREES AND BRANCHES...WITH ISOLATED POWER OUTAGES POSSIBLE. PLEASE REFER TO THE WINTER STORM WARNING PRODUCTS FOR FURTHER DETAILS. HIGH WATER WILL LINGER THROUGH AT LEAST FRIDAY ON AREA RIVERS. PLEASE REFER TO FLOOD WARNING PRODUCTS FOR FURTHER DETAILS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT RAIN AND SNOW TOTALS THURSDAY. AR/JP
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY
729 AM EST WED MAR 04 2015
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0655 AM HEAVY RAIN 2 ESE TALBERT 37.41N 83.43W
03/04/2015 M0.90 INCH BREATHITT KY NWS EMPLOYEE
OVERNIGHT RAINFALL OF 0.90 INCHES.
&&
JCARICOPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY
736 AM EST WED MAR 04 2015
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0700 AM DEBRIS FLOW GRETHEL 37.49N 82.65W
03/04/2015 FLOYD KY 911 CALL CENTER
TWO MUDSLIDES OCCURRED THIS MORNING ON KY 979 NEAR THE
COMMUNITY OF GRETHEL.
&&
ARPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY
740 AM EST WED MAR 04 2015
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0700 AM DEBRIS FLOW 2 E GIFFORD 37.76N 83.09W
03/04/2015 MAGOFFIN KY 911 CALL CENTER
A MUDSLIDE OCCURRED ON KY 2019 IN THE COMMUNITY OF ELK
CREEK.
&&
ARThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
58 flood, 33 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
The Clover Fork left its banks and sent about a foot of water flowing across Kelly Street. The street had to be temporarily closed.
Kentucky Hwy 3328, or Red Lick Rd, had to be closed due to flooding.
Highway 3329 had to be closed due to flooding.
Water of unknown depth was seen flowing over roadways in the Belfry area.
Bunker Hill Rd, or Hwy 537, had to be closed due to flooding.
A softball field at Johns Creek School was covered with water.
Broadway St, or Hwy 2461, between Irvine and Ravenna was closed due to flooding.
Cove Creek had left its banks and caused the nearby road to flood.
Highway 550E was covered by flood water.
The Licking River left its banks and flooded Lakeville Rd.
Adams Ridge on Brush Branch had to be closed due to flooding.
Maple Street was flooded.
Paint Creek was out of its banks and causing flooding, but nearby Hwy 615 was not flooded.
The Red River left its banks and flooded Hwy 613.
Yellow Creek left its banks and flooded Hwy 1534 near the community of Page Cutoff.
Flood water was covering KY 319 near Southside Elementary school.
Maple St at the Red River was closed due to flooding.
Three homes, one business, and multiple vehicles were flooded on Broadway St between Irvine and Ravenna. Other roads that were closed due to flooding in the area included: Old Landing Rd at Buck Creek, Jakes Heavenly Highway, Murphys Rd on Redlick side and Noland Creek Rd.
Coal Hollow Rd at Lower Johns Creek was flooded and impassable.
Dark Hollow Rd was flooded.
Indian Creek Rd, or Hwy 3301, was closed due to flooding.
Minor flooding occurred on Hwy 844 and Stacy Fork Rd.
Abbott Creek was out of its banks and flooding a nearby roadway.
Highway 3347, or Shepherds Lane, was closed due to flooding.
Sang Branch Rd was closed due to flooding.
Millers Creek backed up into the horse stables at Powells Addition.
A trained spotter reported that 4 inches of snow had accumulated in Poplar Grove as of 9 pm on the 4th of March. By the time the storm wound down, portions of Fleming county had received between 12 and 16 inches of snow.
Court Rd was flooded.
Middle Creek left its banks and flooded a nearby elementary school.
South Fork Rd, or KY 1098, was flooded and impassable.
Curry Branch Rd was flooded.
Lower McIntosh Rd was flooded where it intersects Owls Nest Rd.
Stamper Branch was flooded.
Arnoldsville Rd was flooded. The flood water had also entered a mobile home.
Water was over Hwy 550.
The first report of significant snow came in from the Bath county Dept of Highways. They reported that 3.5 inches of snow had fallen around the county between 9 pm and midnight. By 1045 am on March 5th, 10 to 12 inches of snow was reported to have accumulated across the county.
As of 1245 am on the 5th, an estimated 5.5 inches of snow had fallen in Mount Sterling. By 345 am, a weather service employee had measured 7.5 inches of snow at his home near Jeffersonville. By the time the storm ended, 9 to 12 inches of snow had fallen across Montgomery county.
Rowan county received 10 to 13 inches of snow by storms end. Hilda had the highest reported snow total of 13.3 inches.
Storm total snowfall amounts from around the county ranged from 9 inches in Sandy Hook up to 10.5 inches in Spanglin.
Powell county picked up a county wide average storm total snowfall of 6 to 7 inches.
Water of unknown depth from Red Bird Creek was flowing across Hwy 2011.
Granny Holt Rd was closed due flooding from Osborne Creek.
Route 7 at the 1086 junction was down to one lane due to flooding.
Route 7 was closed due to flooding from Burning Fork Creek.
Highway 867 near Oakley Rd was closed due to flooding from the Licking River.
Irvine had picked up 5.5 inches of snow as of 635 am on March the 5th. Cressy had 7.3 inches of snow as of 833 am on the 5th.
The average storm total snow fall around the county was about 8 inches according to the Dept of Highways.
Six to seven inches of snow accumulated across Morgan county.
Laurel Fork Lane was partially flooded by Rockhouse Creek.
Old KY 979 was impassable due to high water.
Four to six inches of snow fell across the county.
Approximately 4 inches of snow fell across Wolfe county during the storm.
Jackson county experienced a plethora of winter weather types during this event. The Dept of Highways reported that an estimated quarter of an inch of ice had accumulated on various objects and surfaces during the storm. Three to five inches of snow and sleet also were reported at various locations through out the county.
Highway 89 was closed due to flooding.
Three to four inches of snow accumulated across the county.
The north fork of the Kentucky River was rising at a rate of 1 foot per hour. The river had left its banks and was entering the basements of houses in the area.
Four to six inches of snow accumulated across the county.
Three to four inches of snow and sleet were reported to have accumulated across the county.
Around four inches of snow was reported to have accumulated across the county.
Highway 7 was closed due to flooding.
Water from the south fork of Quicksand Creek was covering a section of Hwy 1098 and was up in the yard of a home near the highway. A mudslide had also come down the hill and up against the back of a trailer next door to the home of the person who phoned in this report.
Highway 931 was flooded and impassable in places.
The average county wide storm total snow fall around Breathitt county averaged between 4 and 7 inches, with up to a quarter inch of sleet also reported.
Three to six inches of snow accumulated across Floyd county.
By the time the storm finally wound down, Inez had received 6 inches of storm total snowfall.
Up to 5 inches of storm total snow accumulated across portions of Owsley county.
Half an inch of sleet had accumulated in the Belcher area as of 7 am. Pikeville had also received up to half an inch of sleet by 745 am on March 5th. Virgie and Pikeville both received 4 and 5 inches of storm total snow fall respectively.
Half an inch of sleet was reported in Carrie as of 730 am. Four inches of snow had fallen in Soft Shell by 1030 am. A location 5 miles north of Hindman reported a storm total snow fall of 5.5 inches.
Up to 4 inches of snow and sleet accumulated across Laurel county.
Three to five inches of storm total snow fall occurred across portions of Wayne county.
At least half an inch of sleet, and up to 5 inches of snow, accumulated across portions of Letcher county.
Around four inches of sleet and snow fell across the county.
Between a quarter and half an inch of sleet had accumulated in Hyden as of 807 am. The Cutshin and Wooton areas received 3.5 and 4 inches of storm total snow respectively.
At least 4 inches of storm total snow fall occurred across Perry county.
At least half an inch of sleet, and around 2 inches of snow accumulated across portions of Harlan county.
Three to four inches of snow fell in Barbourville and Dewitt by storms end.
Three to four inches of storm total snow and sleet accumulated across the county.
Three and a half to four inches of storm total snow fall was reported across portions of Whitley county.
Three to four inches of snow and sleet accumulated across portions of Bell county.
Kentucky 1426 was flooded at Spears Branch.
Kentucky 550 at mile marker 11.25 was impassable due to flooding.
Kentucky and 292 at KY 612 was impassable due to flooding.
Kentucky 194 was impassable due to flooding.
Kentucky 3411 at the Alpha Branch Bridge was impassable due to flooding.
One lane of KY 550 at mile marker 9 was impassable due to flooding.
Kentucky Route 7 and KY 1086 were impassable due to flooding.
Kentucky 317 at KY 343 was impassable due to flooding. Kentucky 343 was also impassable due to flooding at mile marker 3.5.
Kentucky 777 at mile marker 0.3 was impassable due to flooding.
A portion of Main Street in Hazard was flooded.
Highway 1428 was closed due to flooding.
Kentucky 541 near the Mountain Gospel radio station was flooded.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kentucky in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Kentucky, March 2015
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 569196, 566173, 566174, 566175, 566177, 566179, 566180, 566181, 566186, 566187, 566188, 566189, 566190, 566192, 566193, 566195, 566196, 566197, 566198, 566248, 566249, 566250, 566251, 566252, 566253, 566254, 565428, 566255, 566256, 566257, 566258, 566259, 566260, 566261, 566262, 565427, 565429, 565430, 565431, 565436, and more.